•Kim Edmonds was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to her dog•She slashed her two Springer Spaniels, one sustained 31 lacerations and burns•Pending a psychiatric report, Edmonds could serve a maximum of six months in jail•After the attack she made an emergency call to police, claiming an intruder had attacked her and her dogs•Investigators discovered her injuries were self-inflicted

By Alex Ward

..A woman is facing a jail sentence for slashing her dog’s head, nose and body 31 times before cutting herself and telling police it was an intruder.

Kim Edmonds, 21, carried out the cruel attack on her springer spaniel Stig which left him mutilated with lacerations and burns in what a RSPCA inspector called the ‘worst attack’ she had ever seen.

The unemployed woman from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog on Friday and, pending a psychiatric report, the judge did not rule out a maximum sentence of six months in jail.

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

Dog slasher: Kim Edmonds was found guilty of slashing her two Springer Spaniels. Dogs Stig was found with 31 lacerations and burns while Dan (pictured) had lesser injuries in the horrific attackThe court heard that Edmonds, who had been taking medication for depression, had slashed the 14-year-old dog and her other dog Dan to a lesser extent, in her back garden in September last year.

She made an emergency call to Staffordshire Police, claiming a balaclava-wearing intruder had broken into her backyard and attacked her and the dogs.

Police arrived to a shocking scene.

According to This is Staffordshire, detective constable Gary Madeley from Burslem Police Station said: ‘It was like an abattoir. There was blood all over the living room and the kitchen.

‘Edmonds' demeanour, considering the report and her dog had been mutilated, was calm.’Veterinary surgeon Carole Bain, who also attended the scene said: ‘I was shocked by what I saw.

‘I told her (Edmonds) Stig would need a lengthy operation and she asked if he would need a skin graft and demonstrated by pinching the skin on his head.‘It was unusual as I have never known an owner show such calmness.’

Shocking scene: Police said Edmonds' house looked like 'an abattoir' with blood everywhere. Her two dogs (pictured) were badly injured while she presented self-inflicted cuts, claiming an intruder had attacked her and the dogs

Shocking mutilation: The RSPCA deputy chief inspector Jayne Bashford said the injuries sustained by the dogs were 'totally horrendous'. Stig needed a four hour operation and a week's recovery in a vet clinic (pictured)

It is not known what weapon was used to carry out the attack.

Stig needed a four hour operation and spent a week recovering at a vet clinic, costing the RSPCA thousands of pounds. Dan also required surgery for slashes to his head.

Both dogs have since been re-homed together.

But during investigations, police found that Edmonds’ injuries were self-inflicted and they referred the case to the RSPCA.

The court heard that the nature of Stig’s injuries suggested he had been held down during the prolonged attack.

Jayne Bashford, deputy chief inspector of the RSPCA said: ‘Kim is a very dangerous lady and the injuries suffered by the dogs were totally horrendous.

‘In order to inflict 31 separate wounds on this animal, it would have had to be a lengthy, sustained attack.

‘Every person involved has been severely affected by what they saw. It’s caused people a lot of distress.’

Held down dogs: The court heard that the attack done by Edmonds (pictured with husband Brian and injured dog Dan) would have been lengthy and it was suggested that the dogs were held down during the attack

In the Stoke-on-Trent magistrates’ court, Judge Taylor said: ‘I don’t know if a prison sentence is right or not.’

‘It’s a serious offence that needs the right course of action.’

Edmonds was convicted of one charge of the Section 4 Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Edmonds said she unsuccessfully tried to contact a neighbour before calling her husband Brian Edmonds who works in the Pets At Home distribution centre.

He said: ‘She was extremely distressed saying that the dog had been attacked and she was on the verge of hysteria.’